Electrical decorative illuminating device



Dec. 2, 1930. BLQCK 1,783,277

ELECTRICAL DECORATIVE ILLUMINATING DEVICE Filed Nov. 2, 1928 INVENTOR 3249a BY CE i ATT RNEY Patented Dec, 2, 1930 UNITED STAT S PATENT O E YJOSEPH BLOCK, on BROOKLYN, NEW YORK, ASSIGNOR To NoMA'ELEcTmccoEroE-A-Tron, on NEW ORK, N. "1., A CORPORATION OF NEW YORK \ELEc'r IeALDECORATIVE ILLUMINATING nEvIoE Applic ation filed November 2, 1928.Serial 110,316,837.

This invention relates to electrical decorative illuminating devices. rIt is directed to the Provision of a highly ornamental unitaryilluminating unit of the alliaracter described simulating, a row ofcanes. 1 One of the objects of the invention is to provide a decorativeilluminating unit of the character described withsimple means whereby asimilarunit may be connected thereto and supplied by the same electricalsource.

Another object of the invention is to provide a unit ofthe characterdescribed with neat inexpensive meansffor protecting and covering thewiring.

A further object of this invention; is to' provide a compactand,ruggeddeviceo f the.v character described which shall be inexpensive to manufacture, and whichshall et be highly ornamentaland practicaland e cient to a high degree in use.

Other ob ects ofthis invention'will in part be obvious and inparthereinafter pointed out. p l a s The inventionaccordingly consistsin the features of construction, combinations of elements, andarrangement of parts which will beexemplified in the constructionhereinafter described, and of which the scopeof application willbeindicated in the following claims. 1 1 In the accompanying drawing, inwhich is shown one of the various possible illustrativeembodiments ofthis invention,

1 Fig. 1 isa front elevational view of a unit embodying the invention. 1

Fig. 2 is a partial cross-sectional saidunitu v 33 of Fig. 2.. v,

Referring in detail to the drawings, the numerallO designates a unitembodyingthe invention whichis here seen tocomprise a row of candlesimulating members 11 mounted on a base 12supported by legs 13.

The base ,12icomprises an elongated board terial formed with a pluralityof centrally surface thereof, Each of saidopenings 15 Fig. 3 is across-sectional view taken on line made of wood or any othersuitable maaligned cylindrical openings 15, in the top conductors 35,

extends only partially into said base and provides a bottom wall 16.Said members 11 comprise tubular members 17, made of papier-mach or anyother suitable material for simulating candles. Thelower end portions 18of said members17 are inserted in said openings 15 and abut said bottomwalls 16. Said base 12 is further formed withre- ,duced openings 15asubstantially concentric with said openings 15, and extending to thebottom surface 12a of said base.

Electric lamp sockets 19 are fixed within the upper end portions 20 ofsaid tubular members. Each of said sockets 19 comprises an insulatingbody 21 receiving a screw shell 22 and a central contact 23 insulatedfrom said shell. Electric lamps 24, which may be of any ornamental shapeto simulate candle flames are attached to said sockets 19.

Means is provided for electrically interconnecting said sockets 19," asfor example in series circuit, to a source of electrical energy. To thisend, conductors 25 interconnect said sockets 19 in series, as bysoldering the ends 26, 27, of each of said conductors to a centralcontact of one socket and to the shell of an adjacent socketrespectively. l Said conductors 25 extend down through the tubularmembers 17 and openings '15aand lie against the under surface 12a ofsaid base.

280:, connected to the end sockets 19 extending down through therespective tubes 17 and openings 15a. Said conductors 28,28a, likewiselie against the under surface12a oi the base and are joined into aduplex cable 29 adview of jacent one end 30 of said base. Saidcable 29 Ymay be connected to an electric plug attachment '33 adaptedto beconnected to any suitable electric power supply. 3 Said plug 33 maycomprise a blade plug 33a and a screw plug fitting 33?) adapted forattachment. to said blade plug.

Means are provided for connecting the series circuit through saidsockets 19 in parallel to other circuits embodied in units similar tosaid unit 10. v To this end conductors 35, 36 are connected as bysoldered joints 35a, 36a respectively to said conductors 28, 28a. Said36 also lie against the underr The circuit is completed by conductors28,

surface 12a of said base 12 and are joined into a duplex cable 37adjacent the end 38 of said base. Said cable 37 may be connected at itsouter end to a blade receiving socket fitting 11. It will now beapparent that upon connecting a unit similar to unit 10 to said socket41 as by attaching a plug 33a thereto, said unit will be connected inparallel across conductors 28, 28a. Thus said units will receive equalvoltages from any power source to which the plug 33 may be attached.

The unit 10 is shown as being provided with eight candles? 11 of varyingheight. ()bviously any suitable number of candles of any desired heightsmay be mounted on the base, depending on the ornamental effect it isdesired to obtain. I

It will be noted that the exposed portions of conductors 35, 36, 25, 28,and 28a'which lie against the undersurface 12a of the base 12 are all inalignment with the central openings 15a.

Suitable protecting cover means is provided for said exposed portions.preferably comprises a plate formed with a longitudinal central channel46 of substantially semi-circular cross sections enclosing said portionsof the conductors lying against said undersurface 12a. The portions 47,48 of the plate 45 on either side of said channel 46 lie flush againstsaid undersurface 12a and which also secure the supporting legs 13 tosaid base. Said screws 49 extend through openings 50 in each corner ofsaid plate 45. The supporting legs 13 are made of rubber or any othersuitable material, and each' is formed with a narrow slot 49acommunicating with an opening 51 for receiving the head 52 of said screw49, and with a passage 53 for receiving the shank of said screw. Thusthe edge of a screw driver may be inserted through said slots 49a toengage the kerfs 54 in said screws for attaching both the legs 13 andplate 45 to said base 12.

The base 12 is formed with semicylindrical cut-out portions 31, 31ainthe undersurface 12a thereof, at the end portions 38, 30 of saidboard, registering with said channel end portions 46a, 466 respectively.Thus the end portions 46a and cut-out portion 31 form a cylindricalpassage at one end 30 of the unit 10 through which the duplex cable 37extends, and registering portions 46?) and 31a form a cylindricalpassage at opposite end 30 for said cable 29. Each of said cylindricalpassages is preferably plugged with an insulat ing bushing 32 throughwhich said cables are threaded.

It will be seen that the unit as above described is exceedingly simple,neat and compact in construction, provides for simple connection theretoof another similar unit, and for neatly and suitably covering all Wir-Said means illustrative and not i'n a limiting sense.

Having thus described my invention, I claim as'new and desireto secnreby Letters Patent: I I

1. In an illuminating device, in combination, a base having a flatundersurface, a

plurality of tubular members mounted there on, lamp sockets attached tothe free upper ends of said members, wiring connecting said sockets inelectric circuit, said wiring having portions lying against theundersurface of said base, and means for covering said portions, saidmeans comprising a plate secured to the underside'of said base andhavingan elongated semi-cylindrical portion receiving and covering saidwiring portions and flat wing portlons extending from saidsemi-cylindrical portion contacting'said unare secured to said base 12as by screws 49 dersurface of said base. I

2. A candle simulatingun'it of the character described comprising ai'ba'se, a plurality of spaced tubular membersmounted on said base, lampsockets secured to the free ends of said" members, electric'w'iringconnecting said sockets in series circuit,"said wiring extendlng throughsaid tubular members and along the undersurface ofsaid base andterminating in a pair of leads for attaching to a source ofelectricpower supply, means including wiring lying againsttheundersurface of said base for connecting similar units in parallelacross saidleads and means for covering said portions of the wiringlying against the undersurface of said base, said last mentioned meanscomprising a plate secured to the undersurface of said base and providedwith a longitudinal channel receiving and covering said wiring portions,and aligned plate portions extending outwardly from said channelcontacting said undersurface of said 'base.

3. In an illuminating device, in combina- 5 for resting the device on asupport.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature.

JOSEPH BLOCK.

